Wrongful Death Lawsuit Dismissed In Case of Kendrick Johnson, Teen Found Dead In Rolled Up Gym Mat

The parents of Kendrick Johnson filed a wrongful death lawsuit after their son was found rolled up in a mat in 2013.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson has been dismissed, CNNreports.

Johnson was a Georgia high school athlete who was found dead, rolled up in a gym mat, back in January 2013. His cause of death was ruled “accidental,” with the state autopsy claiming he died of “positional asphyxia.”

His parents, Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson, believed their son was killed, and filed a $100 million lawsuit against local and state officials.The suit named Johnson’s former schoolmates, Branden Bell, Brian Bell and their father, FBI special Agent Rick bell as defendants.

U.S. district Judge W. Louis Sands threw out the case, citing the parents “failed to serve defendants with their amended lawsuit in a timely manner,” according to CNN.

The attorney for the Bell family, Patrick T. O’Connor, said in a statement, “We’re pleased to see the case dismissed once again. The case was meritless from the beginning and has now been dismissed twice,”

“The only thing remaining is for the Superior Court of Lowndes County to make an award of attorney’s fees in favor of the defendants,” O’Connor added.